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Exhibition Road is reborn
David Williams, Motoring Editor27.03.08
A £40 million scheme to transform Exhibition Road into a worldclass tourist attraction will begin this summer.
The road, home to some of London's finest museums, will be partpedestrianised in three phases.
A funding package agreed by Westminster council, Kensington and Chelsea council and Transport for London was being finalised today, with full details to be released in May.
It comes 18 months after previous makeover plans were scrapped when they failed to secure Lottery funding.
Under the new scheme, the pavements will be removed so that traffic and people share a York stone and granite surface stretching the width of the street. The dual carriageway will go, along with the central raised island and parking bays.
Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction on the eastern side of the road, leaving room for a wide pedestrian boulevard on the other side. This will stretch more than 800 metres from the southern end - outside-South Kensington Tube - to Kensington Gore and Kensington Gardens at the northern end.
To slow drivers to 20mph, designers will mimic the "naked streets" design in Kensington High Street where roadside railings, unnecessary white lines and signposts were removed to encourage motorists and pedestrians to "share" the road.
Traffic flow will be reduced by "pedestrian-focused" traffic lights and by encouraging drivers to switch from Exhibition Road to Queens Gate, which runs parallel.
The right turn at the bottom of Exhibition Road into Cromwell Road will be banned and the one-way gyratory south of Cromwell Road near South Kensington Tube will be returned to two-way working.
To make the area more welcoming, the exit from South Kensington Tube will lead to a short section of fully pedestrianised road and the bus stand that blocks the pedestrian exit will be relocated. Well-lit pedestrian tunnels will lead from the Tube into Exhibition Road.
New trees will be planted along the street and minimalist street lights will be installed. The scheme is designed to create the equivalent of New York's "Museum Mile", with venues encouraged to use the boulevard for performances and events.
Bill Mount of Kensington and Chelsea council said the area would become "an inspiring destination".
Phase one, from South Kensington Tube to Cromwell Road, will take place from July until early next year, phase two, from Cromwell Road to Imperial College, from next March to 2010 and phase three, from Imperial College to Kensington Gore, from 2010 to 2011.
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This will be greatly welcomed by everyone using public transport coming to and from South Kensington tube station, especially for those who are disabled and for parties with school children. The paved area is so narrow by the tube that its now difficult to pass along the street and its has a cluttered and confusing appearance. As an entry point to such an important tourist amenity of museums this will enhance the experience and encourage more people to come by public transport. The businesses will also welcome this as it will encourage people to stay a while longer to eat and shop when visiting. I live in Greenwich but use the Chelsea and Westminster hospital regularly and would now be encouraged to visit the museums also and stay for a while to use the shops and cafes. At the moment there is nowhere to sit outside on a good day and have a coffee and the reduction in noise and pollution would be most welcome.
- Damien Vaugh, Greenwich Millennium Village SE10
Some of us still need to drive from Cromwell Road / South Ken to Sloane Square, Battersea and Pimlico. How do we do that?
- Ian, London
Superb. More please. Parliament square and Whitehall should also be pedestrianised.
- Lee Washington, London, UK
